Isadora Santos Pulz1, Paula Andréa Martins2, Charles Feldman3, Marcela Boro Veiros4. 1. Master in Nutrition, Nutrition Postgraduate Program, Member of Nutrition in Foodservice Research Centre - NUPPRE, Federal University of Santa Catarina - UFSC, Florianopolis, Brazil. 2. Associate Professor, Department of Human Movement Science, Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Sao Paulo, Brazil; Coordinator of the Nutritional Epidemiology Laboratory, Santos, Brazil. 3. Full Professor, Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences - Food Systems, Montclair State University (MSU), Montclair, NJ, USA. 4. Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Postgraduate Program, Nutrition in Foodservice Research Centre - NUPPRE, Federal University of Santa Catarina - UFSC and Laboratory of Nutritional Epidemiology, Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Sao Paulo, Brazil; Visiting Professor of the Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, Food Systems - Montclair State University (MSU), Montclair, NJ, USA; Departamento de Nutrição, Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina - UFSC, Trindade Campus, Florianopolis, Brasil.
Abstract
AIMS: The purpose of this novel study was to evaluate the food environment at a Brazilian university, encompassing 6 restaurants and 13 snack bars. The investigation uniquely analyses the food environment (barriers, facilitators, type of foods and prices). This was a food-based analysis of the nutritional quality of the products sold on campus. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive design was used, applying the classic Nutrition Environment Measures Survey-Restaurants (NEMS-R) adapted for Brazil and an original methodology to evaluate and classify qualitatively the nutritional quality and characteristics of the food. A census of all campus food environments was applied. RESULTS: The main results show most food and beverage products were made with processed ingredients and had a lower nutritional quality and price when compared with similar products made on premises, that is, processed iced tea compared with fresh tea ( p < .001), fried refined flour salgados compared with baked wholegrain flour salgados ( p < .001) and refined flour biscuits compared with those made with whole grains ( p = .028). Only 16% of the outlets provided food ingredients or nutritional information of products available. CONCLUSION: The overall options for healthy food choices and good nutritional quality on campus were mostly limited by the availability and higher prices of products. These findings could be used to develop new policy perspectives for the offering of healthy food items and to facilitate better food choices among students in a healthier food environment.
AIMS: The purpose of this novel study was to evaluate the food environment at a Brazilian university, encompassing 6 restaurants and 13 snack bars. The investigation uniquely analyses the food environment (barriers, facilitators, type of foods and prices). This was a food-based analysis of the nutritional quality of the products sold on campus. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive design was used, applying the classic Nutrition Environment Measures Survey-Restaurants (NEMS-R) adapted for Brazil and an original methodology to evaluate and classify qualitatively the nutritional quality and characteristics of the food. A census of all campus food environments was applied. RESULTS: The main results show most food and beverage products were made with processed ingredients and had a lower nutritional quality and price when compared with similar products made on premises, that is, processed iced tea compared with fresh tea ( p < .001), fried refined flour salgados compared with baked wholegrain flour salgados ( p < .001) and refined flour biscuits compared with those made with whole grains ( p = .028). Only 16% of the outlets provided food ingredients or nutritional information of products available. CONCLUSION: The overall options for healthy food choices and good nutritional quality on campus were mostly limited by the availability and higher prices of products. These findings could be used to develop new policy perspectives for the offering of healthy food items and to facilitate better food choices among students in a healthier food environment.
Entities:
Keywords:
NEMS-R; food environment; food services; nutritional quality; students
Authors: Davina Mann; Janelle Kwon; Shaan Naughton; Sinead Boylan; Jasmine Chan; Karen Charlton; Jane Dancey; Carolyn Dent; Amanda Grech; Victoria Hobbs; Sophie Lamond; Sandra Murray; Melissa Yong; Gary Sacks Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-11-12 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Daniel O Mensah; Godwin Yeboah; Michael Batame; Rob Lillywhite; Oyinlola Oyebode Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2022-10-13 Impact factor: 4.135